Biscotti are crispy Italian-style twice-baked cookies that are especially happy to be dunked in a cup of coffee. This unique recipe yields biscotti with a pretty shade of brown and the rich flavors of ginger and molasses. They are so satisfying that everyone will be surprised to learn they are made without any butter or oil. I got this recipe from Tom Russo, the original owner of the little raspberry farm where Drew and I started Earthbound Farm in 1984. When we arrived, Tom gave us a quick tutorial on caring for the raspberry bushes and introduced us to our first customers. We’ve stayed in touch for three decades. Tom is now in his mid-eighties, yet I only recently learned that he’s a great cook. These are the best biscotti I have ever tasted. —MYRA
Makes about 32 biscotti
2 tbsp chia seeds (see page 70)
3/4 cup/150 g sugar
1/4 cup/60 ml molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp packed finely diced crystallized ginger
21/4 cups/315 g whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup/120 g raisins
1/2 cup/75 g raw, unsalted almonds, chopped
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.
In a large mixing bowl, stir the chia seeds with 2/3 cup/165 ml cold water. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens (this is our egg substitute). Whisk in the sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Stir in the ginger.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, adding about one-third of the dry mix at a time, and then mix in the raisins and almonds.
In the bowl, divide the dough in half. After moistening your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them, form two 12-in-/30.5-cm-long logs on a parchment-lined baking dish. Press each log down until it’s about 1 in/2.5 cm thick at the highest point and about 3 in/7.5 cm wide.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the biscotti logs, and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F/150°C/gas 2. Discard the parchment paper, and let the logs cool directly on a rack for 15 minutes.
On a cutting board with a serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/3- to 1/2-in-/8- to 12-mm-wide slices on a slight diagonal. Put the slices back on the baking sheet, standing up on their flat bottom edge, so that both sides will cook evenly. Make sure to leave at least 1/4 in/6 mm between the slices. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the slices are dry and firm. Let the biscotti cool directly on a rack with space in between them. They will continue to crisp and dry as they cool. Any extra cookies should be stored in an airtight container only after they have cooled for a few hours.
1 COOKIE: CALORIES: 80 | FAT: 1G | CARBS: 16G | PROTEIN: 2G | SODIUM: 40MG
